Letter: Gore not close to the front lines in Vietnam

I would like to remind all veterans of what you went through during your tenure in the armed forces. I'm speaking to the ladies as well as to the men who served in any capacity.

Like tens of thousand of you, I also was a veteran of World War II and Korea and I'm not forgetting Vietnam.

In Korea many of us parachuted behind the North Korean lines and set "guerrilla" operations so as to disrupt their activities and divert their attention from the front line activities.

We would raid, sabotage and destroy everything in sight. We did this over a period of nine months. It was a necessary diversion type of combat.

Even though we were in a dangerous situation we felt that the men on the front lines had it worse because they were subject to front line combat, artillery fire and all that was labeled "To Whom It May Concern." Thousands died for a very questionable cause!

Now, I call your attention to the Vietnam affair. Namely that our existing White House leader fled the United States during this conflict to avoid being drafted in the service. He chose to "desert" his country. I must remind you that "desertion" during time of was once punishable by "hanging" or being "shot" by a firing squad was not considered in his case.

Upon his election to the highest office he automatically became "Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces"! What a travesty! Now, his so-called right hand man, Vice President Gore is vying for the same possible position. It is my opinion that he is also a liar because he was never even close to the front lines in Vietnam. So, veterans and decedents of all veterans and friends of same please remember that on Tuesday we can change all that! Don't forget what you went through to save the "skin" of a deserter"! Let's not let it happen again.

Thank all of you for you consideration in this very important and critical time!

DICK BEAUDETTE

Carson City